Social Factory: Basmane

Located strategically in Turkey, Basmane and Izmir play a key role in rail transport, tourism, and trade. Basmane Train Station leads Izmir's railway network, acting as a hub for local and intercity train lines, thereby supporting trade and tourism through rail connections. This interaction enhances the overall dynamism of Izmir and Basmane, making them a strong center for tourism and trade. With their historical richness and transportation infrastructure, they offer significant economic and cultural contributions.
Our expectation from the project is to contribute to Basmane's development while carrying out this process ecologically and ensuring the permanence of the ecological solutions we provide. Our primary method is to culturally embed this ecological system so that it can be sustained across generations. In this context, inspired by the Social Factory Project, Turkey's first and most important work from the first Five-Year Plan, which combined production, education, and culture but was later discontinued, we have developed the "Social Factory: Basmane" concept to be more comprehensive. Basmane serves as the pilot area for the Social Factory: Basmane project, where its promotion and management take place, serving as a model for the world.
Social Factory: Basmane is an urban-scale factory where multiple functions come together and operate systematically. The new city silhouette created with ecological solutions also aims for sustainability, not only locally but also including the 3rd Region Alsancak railway line stations through a circular economy approach. Basmane and other stations are connected by the rail line, transporting not only goods but also culture. Social Factory: Basmane has five main flows. These flows are designed to meet ecological needs and fill gaps. The food, blue-green, people, energy, and waste flows identified in this process work together to support each other and the city.
The infrastructure gaps arising from the needs of these flows have been addressed through the designed "Gıdı-Gıdı Smart Logistic-Transportation System." This system aims to produce its own energy within the energy flow, operate with a zero-carbon strategy within the blue-green flow, provide a touristic function by organizing tours between Expo2026 and Konak Pier within the people flow, and transport goods within the food and waste flows.
By strengthening the existing trade networks of the region, improving social opportunities, increasing green spaces, and offering ecological urban and architectural solutions for observed problems, we present to you Basmane’s new urban silhouette. Say hello to Social Factory: Basmane!

The project aims to strengthen and diversify existing trade networks. In this process, various mixed-use developments and an increase in social amenities can be observed. Additionally, the planning of service areas, such as storage spaces necessary for the growing trade, and methods for these areas to operate with the Gıdı-Gıdı Smart Logistic-Transportation System have been determined. The newly designed parcel layouts within the project are implemented to facilitate the creation of broad open and green spaces. New constructions follow a courtyard system to create new gathering and activity areas. The relationships between open and semi-open spaces are established by considering the needs of public and semi-public areas.
Buildings that have reached the end of their economic life or are earthquake-vulnerable are demolished and rebuilt, while buildings in usable condition undergo functional changes and strengthening. Registered and unusable buildings are restored and reopened for use. The planned square footage for each usage category in the new arrangements is as follows:
• Hotel: 41,543 m²
• Workshop: 8,200 m²
• Office: 18,098 m²
• Restaurant: 14,345 m²
• Education: 8,900 m²
• Textile: 13,592 m²
• New Station: 6,000 m²
• Cargo Warehouse: 1,500 m²
• Trade: 41,554 m²
The total area worked on is 16 hectares.

Project Team:
Arda Miskioğlu
İrem Su Ülgentürk
Leyla Ekici
Mustafa Özgür Kesken
Osman Dündar
Tülin İlhan
Zeynep Demircan
Zeynep Kabaklı
Instructor: Prof. Dr. Koray VELİBEYOĞLU